Now we are down to one kid in diapers, and she is already trying out her little potty. Wow, a lot can change in a year!

We've had more "changes" than that, however.

Jeff is putting in some long days, which means my focus has been narrowed considerably; my mission field contains a grand total of 4 people, and it is a very intense 24/7 discipleship program! My own little MK class of 4; how I need God's strength.

Jeff was given an amazing opportunity to work with the local chief and council recently on a government project, and it is likely they will call on him again for other things. One day he took some of my bannock into the band office; it raised a few eyebrows to have a napikwon (white man) bring in bannock. Fortunately that batch turned out pretty good, though it's still hit-and-miss for me to make bannock well.

What amazed me about this opportunity was the fact that God used his undergrad degree (in Industrial and Environmental Health Management) to be a blessing (we pray) to this Blackfoot nation.

Please pray for us. We are talking with NAIM about our future, and how our ministry vision fits within their framework, but we don't have anything concrete we can write in a real prayer letter yet. One thing we know we need is prayer. We see God leading at each turn, but in between are the steps that we must walk in faith.

This past year (since the last post) has been amazing, hard, good. Like most years, I suppose, but a notch up on each level of intensity.

We finished our work at Gladstone last October. It was bittersweet to say goodbye to a place we loved so much, but the Lord was moving us on. Ever since we were married Jeff has wanted to obtain more formal training in the Bible, and finally he felt led to get his masters in marriage and family counselling. He is taking one year to study full-time, and towards the end of this year we feel that God will make it plain where we are to go. We expect it to be to a reserve, with the Blackfoot people would be our expectation, since we already have relationships here (and we just plain like 'em, too).

November brought our highlight of the year, a beautiful, sweet baby girl we named Esther Justice. She was born at home, like all our babies, and God was my help and strength.

December brought our greatest sorrow. To back up, on Nov. 2 Jeff's mom was diagnosed with cancer. On Dec. 1 we were told she would only have 4-6 months; at that time we started planning to come in January. A few days later, on Dec. 6, we got the call to "come now"; Jeff was able to tell her he loved her over the phone. We packed that night and left the next morning. That night we made it to eastern Montana, and called. She had passed away that afternoon. We were gone a total of 7 weeks, for the funeral, clearing out her house, sharing the holidays with family unexpectedly, Jeff "flipping" her house completely in 12 days, and stopping at my folks' place on the way home. We were home by the end of January, and finally had our Christmas on Valentine's Day!

Now we are in a strange dual routine. Jeff goes away to class once or twice a month, for a week at time, and the rest of the time he is home 24/7. God is growing and shaping our vision, and for that we are thankful. I feel once again the "am I crazy?" peace that is willing to pick up and leave my nest, if that is what my Master wants. I've not always been good with change.

Now I'm really good at it...changing diapers, that is. And here's hoping we're still young enough to accept whatever is next on God's agenda, too.

We need prayer, as always. Thanks.

When we were on furlough, and found the policy had changed, that we had to be at full support before we could return, we thought one thing: only God can do this.

Well, He is a mighty worker of miracles. Jeff is "back at the ranch", so glad to be in work boots and Carhartts again!

Please pray that he will be able to catch up like he needs to. Please pray that all of us staff will have the strength and energy to keep up with the exciting pace of the summer schedule. Our first team arrives in 4 days!

And praise the Lord with us that He has once again made it crystal clear that He wants us here.

Only He could have done that.

I'm rather glad that the kind of support we raise usually comes tied to a bunch of prayer. That's the kind of support that changes the world...where it counts. Please keep praying. It matters.

I was just telling Jeff's testimony to a friend today. That he was on the verge of suicide when a buddy from high school stood up in church and asked for prayer for him. Somebody prayed.

Somebody listened.

That's how the old song goes; don't forget the heavy twang. Yes, we twang a lot here in Alberta. It's not the only way to sing, but sometimes it's right.

This is the story of someone who got a call from God. Literally.

Monica was a single mom of a sweet little girl, and they had just moved back to her home state. She didn't have support. She had transportation trouble. She had financial trouble. She had lots of trouble. She had cried out to God in desperation one night, "God, if you're there, please help me!" Nothing happened, then.

But she did have a friend who called, and they were chatting and her friend was telling her about this special program they were going to have at her church. She wasn't sure she was interested, and to make matters worse, there was a little person who kept interrupting... her daughter was at her play kitchen, holding her play phone, and saying, "Mommy! Mommy! MOMMY!" Finally Monica said goodbye to her friend, and in exasperation said to her daughter, "WHAT?!" Mikaela said, with complete and sincere urgency, "The phone's for you. It's God."

Monica froze. She cried. Why would God want to talk to her?

Then her friend called back. "I just found out they're having a special service, but we have to leave in 10 minutes."

"We're going!" Monica said.

That night she heard Good News like she had never heard before. She accepted Jesus, and 10 years later she still cries as she tells the story.